State of the Union: A LIVE Chat with Experts on Gluten-Related Disorders

Register Now for a Live Panel Discussion!

NFCA will kick off Celiac Awareness Month with a live hour-long broadcast featuring gluten-free experts Alessio Fasano, MD, Stefano Guandalini, MD, and Cynthia Kupper, RD, CD. Moderated by Alice Bast, NFCA Founder and President, the panelists will provide a “State of the Union” on celiac disease and the new kid on the block, non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

With a special focus on patient-provider communication, the panelists will explore the following:

Defining Celiac Disease & Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity

Latest in Gluten-Related Research

Nutritional Management & Support

Patients and providers alike will benefit from this lively 60-minute discussion!

Members of the gluten-free community are encouraged to submit questions for a chance to have your concerns addressed during the live broadcast. Please direct questions to Kristin Voorhees at kvoorhees@celiaccentral.org with "May 3 Q&A" in the subject line.

Supported by a generous anonymous donor with a passionate interest in health and wellness.

In order to receive communication from NFCA about this special event, you must be a follower of CeliacCentral-NFCA on Vokle. Once you're a follower, we'll be able to send you a reminder when it gets close to the event. You can also bookmark the event page for easy access at the start time.

3. You will be prompted to Sign In or Register for Vokle. You can also Login with Twitter or Login with Facebook instead of registering.

4. Once registered and logged in, make sure you're following CeliacCentral - NFCA, then select the event "State of the Union: A Live Chat with Gluten-Related Disorders Experts."

5. On the event page, select Click to RSVP at the lower lefthand side of your screen.

6. That's it! Keep an eye out for an email reminder about the event, or simply go to the event page at the start time: 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on May 3.

Meet the Panelists:

Alice Bast (Moderator)
Founder and President of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Alice Bast founded the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) in 2003. Her personal experience with celiac disease ignited her passion to help the estimated three million Americans suffering from the disease receive a prompt and accurate diagnosis.

Alice is widely regarded as a celiac expert and has been a keynote speaker at major medical and food industry events nationally and internationally, including the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Annual Meeting, Healthy Foods Conference, International Pizza Expo, The Flavor Experience, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Wellness Conference, and both Natural Products Expo East and West shows. She also chaired a panel presentation at the 14th International Coeliac Disease Symposium held in Oslo, Norway.

Alice’s story has been featured in Good Housekeeping Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, and on nationally televised programs such as ABC’s ‘The View’ and CNN. Among her accomplishments, Alice co-authored an article titled “Celiac Disease and Reproductive Health Issues,” which was published in the Journal of Practical Gastroenterology. She was the Principal Investigator on an NIH funded grant titled, “Novel Educational Aids For Celiac Disease.” Alice was also awarded the 90th annual Philadelphia Award in May 2011, one of the city’s most prestigious honors given each year to a citizen who has acted and served on behalf of the best interests of the community.

Her organization, NFCA, drives diagnosis of celiac disease, improves quality-of-life for children and families adhering to a gluten-free diet, and facilitates collaborations within the healthcare community. NFCA is a leading resource for celiac information and offers free information and support materials for celiac patients and their families. The organization is also a leading resource in accredited training for healthcare providers and food industry professionals.

Diagnosed with celiac disease more than 20 years ago, Melinda Dennis is a registered dietitian who specializes in celiac disease at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She is Nutrition Coordinator and research investigator of the hospital’s Celiac Center and is the author of several journal articles on the nutritional management of celiac disease.

Melinda serves on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s Evidence Analysis Library task force for celiac disease and on the American Gastroenterology Association’s Press Advisory. Melinda is the founder and former chairperson and current Nutrition Advisor to the Healthy Villi Greater Boston Celiac/DH Support Group. She offers dietitian coaching, nationwide lecturing and consulting, gluten-free classes, shopping tours, home visits and adventure health retreats for those following the gluten-free diet through her nutrition consulting service, Delete the Wheat (www.DeletetheWheat.com). Melinda is co-author of the book Real Life with Celiac Disease: Troubleshooting and Thriving Gluten Free, which was published by the AGA Press in May 2010, and is now available for purchase at www.reallifewithceliacdisease.com.

World-renowned pediatric gastroenterologist, research scientist and entrepreneur Alessio Fasano, M.D., founded the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research in 1996. The Center for Celiac Research offers state-of-the art research, teaching and clinical expertise for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of gluten-related disorders, including celiac disease, wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity. The Mucosal Biology Research Center, founded in 2005 by Dr. Fasano, is an organized research center within the University of Maryland School of Medicine that houses the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research.

The work of Dr. Fasano and his team led to the discovery in 2000 of the ancient molecule “zonulin,” which regulates the impermeability of the intestine in a condition also known as “leaky gut.” Dr. Fasano’s research has linked an overproduction of zonulin to the pathogenesis of a series of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, celiac disease and multiple sclerosis.

In 2003, Dr. Fasano published the groundbreaking study in the Annals of Medicine that established the prevalence rate of celiac disease at one in 133 people in the U.S.
Dr. Fasano and his team of international researchers continue to unravel complex molecular mysteries, leading to a greater understanding of the complicated nature of gluten-related disorders, including celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy.

Stefano Guandalini, MD
Professor of Pediatrics, University of Chicago
Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition University of Chicago Children’s Hospital
Founder and Medical Director, The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center

Dr. Guandalini’s scientific and professional career has focused on diarrheal diseases of children, with a major emphasis on celiac disease. In 1990, Dr. Guandalini coordinated a national effort in Italy resulting in the publication of the largest series of patients ever published, which resulted in the revision of the 20-year-old European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) guidelines for diagnosing celiac disease. These new guidelines are currently used worldwide for both pediatric and adult celiac disease patients.

He has served as President of the Italian Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (SIGENP) 1996-1999; of the European Society for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) 1998-2001, and was a founding member and the first President of the Federation of the International Societies for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (FISPGHAN), 2000-2004.

Dr. Guandalini is a founding member and a member of the Governing Board of the ISSCD, The International Society for the Study of Celiac Disease, founded in Oslo, Norway, on June 22, 2011. He has also been recently elected as the first President of NASSCD, the North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease, 2011-2013.

Dr. Guandalini is also an international expert in the field of pediatric gastroenterology, as well as the pathophysiology and treatment of diarrheal diseases.

Note: The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA)provides information on gluten-free events as a service to the community. Please note that NFCA cannot assure the event participant or restaurant patron of the gluten-free practices or knowledge of the restaurants cited if they have not completed NFCA’s GREAT Kitchens program, which provides accredited gluten-free training to restaurants and other foodservice providers. Please call the venue directly to learn more about their preparation processes.

Have you or your family members been diagnosed?
Complete our celiac disease symptoms checklist today to find out if you are at risk of having celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity ('gluten sensitivity'). We can help improve your quality of life!

Take Action

The information found on this website is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical condition. We urge you to always seek the advice of your physician. There is no replacement for personal medical treatment and advice from your personal physician.